he was the person by whom this young man who was under his charge had been advis'd and was afterwards confirm'd in this his execrable resolution For which reason being taken with Arms in his hand three Months after at the assault of the Fauxbourgs of Paris his process was made and though he obstinately deny'd it to his Death which he suffer'd with a wonderfull resolution yet since he cou'd not convince the Witnesses of falsehood who Swore against him he was judg'd according to the forms of Justice as he himself acknowledg'd and drawn in pieces by four Horses according to the decree of the Parliament sitting at Tours Howsoever it were 't is certain that the greatest part of those outrageous Preachers of the League said altogether as much as what was alledg'd against the Prior for Monsieur Anthoine Loysel has left it Written in his Journal that on the very same day whereon the King was Wounded and before the news of it was come to Paris he heard at St. Merry the Sermon of Doctour Boucher who said by way of consolation to his Auditours that as on that day namely the first of August when the Feast of St. Peter in Prison is celebrated God had deliver'd that Apostle from the hands of Herod so they ought to hope he had the like mercy in store for them And immediately made no scruple to maintain this damnable proposition to them that it was an action of great merit to kill an Heretique King or a favourer of Heretiques The rest of the same fraternity of Preachers joyning in the Consort on the same day held forth in the Pulpits with more violence than ever against Henry de Valois and gave the people says the same undeniable Witness a hope almost in the nature of a certainty that God wou'd speedily deliver them which gave just occasion for many to believe that the devilish design of that Assasinate had been communicated to them And when it was known that the Blow was given it was order'd that publique Prayers shou'd be made in all the Churches of the City together with a solemn action of thanksgiving to Almighty God For a whole Week together they made Processions from all the Parishes to the Church of the Iacobins and exhorted the people to distribute their Alms liberally to the Religious of that Cloyster for the sake of Fryer Iaques Clement as also to extend their Charity to his poor Relations To conclude Doctour Roze Bishop of Senlis an old man and most outragious Leaguer Preach'd there according to the direction of the Council of Sixteen which was sent in Tickets to all the Preachers in the City on Sunday the sixth of August wherein they were appointed to insist particularly on three Heads which I will here set down as they are express'd in the Tickets themselves that it may be notorious with what an Egyptian blindness that infamous Cabal of the League was then struck Take them in their own Words 1. You are to justifie the action of the Iacobin because it is a parallel to that of Iudith so much magnifi'd in the Holy Scriptures For he who hears not the Church ought to be accounted as an Heathen or an Holofernes 2. Cry out against those who say that the King of Navarre is to be receiv'd in case he goes to Mass Because he can be but an Usurper of the Kingdom being Excommunicated and also standing excluded from that of Navarre 3. Exhort the Magistracy to publish against all those who shall maintain the King of Navarre that they are attainted of the crime of Heresie and as such to proceed against them But after all these doings this brutal joy of the Leaguers for the Death of Henry the Third was immediately after turn'd into sadness and at the last into despair by the wise management and incomparable valour of his Successour Henry de Bourbon to whom God had preordain'd the Glory of restoring the happiness of France by the utter destruction of the Leagâ—e which had laid it desolate The relation of which is the Business of the fourth and last part of my present History THE HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE LIB IV. THough Henry King of Navarre whom the deceas'd King had at his Death declar'd his Lawful Successor immediately took upon himself the Soveraign Title of King of France yet was he not acknowledg'd for such at the same time by the whole Army The Hugonots whom he had brought to the Assistance of his Predecessor were the first to render him Homage as no ways doubting but that the World was now their own and that Calvinism shou'd be the predominant Religion in France under a Protestant King But this very Consideration gave great trouble and anxiety of Mind to that prudent Prince who plainly saw that the Catholicks foreseeing this Misfortune of which they were extreamly apprehensive might possibly reunite themselves against him and that the Huguenots who were without Comparison the weaker Party cou'd never be able to support him on the Throne In effect there was during all that day and the whole night following a great Contestation of Opinions amongst the Catholique Lords of the Army in relation to this Affair Many of them who consider'd more their private Interest than the publique Good were deâ—irous to make advantage of a Juncture so favourable for the establishment of their Fortunes and to sell their Obedience at the highest Rate they cou'd by raising their Governments into Principalities which had been to cantonize the Monarchy There were great numbers of them led by different Motives some by a true Zeal for Religion others by the Aversion which they had for this new King which they disguis'd with a specious pretence of Zeal who wou'd absolutely have it that he shou'd instantly declare himself a Catholique which cou'd not possibly be done either with the Kings Honour or with Provision of security to the Catholiques because too much of Constraint was evident in such an Action Some there were also who maintain'd that since his Birth and the Fundamental Law of the Land had brought him to the Throne of which his Heroick Virtues had render'd him most worthy it was their Duty to acknowledge him and to obey him chearfully without imposing on him the least Conditions But this was it which the greatest part of them thought too dangerous to Religion which they were unwilling to hazard by such a Complement In conclusion after this important Affair had been throughly examin'd in the Kings Council and in the general Assembly of the Catholique Princes and Lords which was held in the Lodgings of Francis de Luxembourg Duke de Piney they came to an Agreement the next Morning by holding a just Temperament betwixt the two Extreams For without insisting on their private Interests that they might act frankly and like Gentlemen it was determin'd that the King shou'd be acknowledg'd but upon condition that he shou'd cause himself to be instructed within six months time by the most able
believe we shall behold its ruine by the repentance of those who being deluded and held back by their Ministers continue still in their erroneous belief rather through ignorance than malice And this is it which when accomplish'd will surpass even all those other wonders which daily are beheld under your most auspicious Government Vndoubtedly Sir your Majesty has perform'd by your Victorious Arms your generous goodness and your more than Royal magnificence all those great and Heroique actions which will ever be the admiration of the World and infinitely above the commendations which future Ages in imitation of the present will consecrate to your immortal memory I presume not to undertake that subject because it has already drain'd the praises of the noblest Pens which yet have not been able to raise us to that Idea 〈◊〉 you which we ought justly to conceive I shall onely say that what you have done with so much Prudence Iustice and Glory by extending the French Monarchy to its ancient bounds and rendring it as it is at present as flourishing and as much respected by all the World as it ever has been under the greatest and most renown'd of all our Monarchs is not so great in the sight of God as what your Majesty performs daily with so much Piety Zeal and good success in augmenting the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and procuring the Conversion of our Protestants by those gentle and efficacious means which you have us'd This Sir is without exception the most glorious of all your Conquests and while you continue to enjoy on earth that undisputed glory which your other actions have acquir'd you is preparing an eternal triumph for you in the Heavens 'T is what is continually implor'd of God in his most ardent Prayers who enjoying the abundant favours of your Majesty lives at this day the most happy of Mankind under your most powerfull Protection and is most oblig'd to continue all his life with all imaginable Respect and Zeal Sir Your Majesty's most Obedient and most Faithfull Subject and Servant Louis Maimbourg THE AUTHOUR'S Advertisement to the READER SInce perhaps there are some who may think themselves concern'd in this History because they are the Grand-children or Descendants of those who are here mention'd I desire them to consider that Writing like a faithfull Historian I am oblig'd sincerely to relate either the good or ill which they have done If they find themselves offended they must take their satisfaction on those who have prescrib'd the Laws of History let them give an account of their own rules for Historians are indispensably bound to follow them and the sum of our reputation consists in a punctual execution of their orders Thus as I pretend not to have deserv'd their thanks in speaking well of their Relations so I may reasonably conclude that they ought not to wish me ill when I say what is not much to their advantage I faithfully relate what I find written in good Authours or in particular Memories which I take for good after I have throughly examin'd them I do yet more for considering that no man is bound to believe when I say in general that I have had the use of good Manuscripts on whose credit I give you what is not otherwhere to be had I sincerely and particularly point out the originals from whence I drew these truths and am fully convinc'd that every Historian who hopes to gain the belief of his Reader ought to transact in the same manner For if there were no more to be done than barely to say I have found such or such an extraordinary passag◠in an authentique Manuscript without giving a more particular account of it under pretence of being bound to Secrecy there is no kind of Fable which by this means might not be slurr'd upon the Reader for a truth An Authour might tell many a lusty lye but a Reader who were not a very credulous fool or a very complaisant Gentleman wou'd have a care of believing him 'T is for this reason that I have always mark'd in my margents the Books Relations and Memoires whether Printed or Manuscripts from whence I take the substance of my Relations One of those Writers of whom I have made most use is Monsieur Peter Victor Cayet in his Nine years Chronology containing the History of the Wars of Henry the Fourth Because he having always follow'd that Prince since he was plac'd in his service together with Monsieur de la Gaucherie who was his Preceptor 't is exceeding probable that he was better inform'd of the passages of those times of which he was an eye witness than others who had not that advantage For what else concerns him he was one of the most Learned and able Ministers which our Protestants have ever had and in that quality serv'd Madam Catharine the King's Sister till about two years after the Conversion of that great Prince he acknowledg'd the true Catholique Religion and made his Solemn abjuration of Heresie at Paris He also publish'd the motives of his Conversion in a Learned Treatise which was receiv'd with great applause both in France and in Foreign Countries and his example fortifi'd with the strong reasons of a man so able as he was to which no solid answer was ever given was immediately follow'd by the Conversion of a great number of Protestants who by his means came to understand the falshood of their Religion pretendedly reform'd This action so infinitely netled his former Brotherhood of Ministers that they grew outrageous against him They ran down his reputation with full cry and endeavour'd to blacken it with a thousand horrible calumnies with which they stuff'd their Libels and amongst others that which they have inserted into the Memoires of the League with the greatest villany imaginable taking no notice of the solid and convincing answers he made them Which proceeding of theirs is sufficient to discover the falsity of all they have Written to Defame him according to the Libelling genius of Presbytery For of all Heretiques none have been more cruel or more foul-mouth'd than the Calvinists none have reveng'd themselves of their pretended Enemies more barbarously either by open Arms or private mischiefs when the power was in their hands or more impudently with their Pens and by their Libels when they had no other way to shew their malice murthering their reputations with all sorts of injuries and impostures who have once declar'd themselves against their Party In effect what have they not said to defame the memory of Monsieur de Sponde Lieutenant General in Rochelle of Salette Counsellour to the King of Navarre of Morlas Counsellour of State and Superintendant of the Magazines of France as also of Du Fay Clairville Rohan and a hundred others of their most celebrated Ministers who after having been esteem'd amongst them for good men and look'd on as the Leaders of their Consistory are by a strange sort of Metamorphosis become on the sudden Profligate Wretches and the
point of glory after the Battel of Dreux where it might be said that he was the safeguard of our Religion which depended on that day's success and that all the Council was fill'd with the applause of that Heroe for so memorable a Victory which he had in a manner gain'd singly after the defeat and taking of the Constable he believ'd he had found the favourable occasion he so ardently desir'd to satisfie his ambition to the full by â—aising his Brother to that degree of Honour in which he might enjoy a Supreme and Independent Authority equal to the power of the greatest Kings To this effect he was not wanting to represent to the Heads of that Assembly and by them to the Pope that for the support of Religion against which the Heretiques made so cruel War particularly in France there was no better means than to make a League into which shou'd enter all the Princes and great men whom they cou'd procure and above all the rest the King of Spain who was so powerfull and so zealous for the Catholique Faith He added that it was necessary for the Pope to declare himself the Protectour of it and to elect a Head of it in the Kingdom on whose Piety Prudence Valour and Experience all things might safely be repos'd and whom all Catholiques shou'd be under an obligation to obey till they had totally extirpated the Huguenots This proposal was receiv'd with great applause and as their minds in that juncture of time were wholly prepossess'd with a high character of the wise conduct the perpetual felicity and heroique vertues of the Victorious Duke of Guise there was not the least scruple remaining for them to conclude that he alone was fit to be the Head of â—o glorious an Undertaking But the sad news of his Death arriving in the very upshot of that project made this great design to vanish which the Cardinal who never lost the imagination of it nor the hope to make it succeed at some other time was not able to bring in play again till about ten or eleven years after that accident And then sound the young Duke of Guise Henry of Lorrain his Nephew both of age and of capacity and intirely dispos'd to its accomplishment For at that time he propos'd warmly the same design to the Pope and the King of Spain who both enter'd without difficulty into his opinion though upon motives very different The Pope out of the ardent desire he had to see Heresie altogether exterminated from this most Christian Kingdom and the Spaniard out of a longing appetite to make his advantage of our divisions and those great disorders which he foresaw the League must inevitably cause in France The Duke also on his side who had much more ambition and much less affection to the publique good than his Father embrac'd with all his Soul so fair an occasion as was thereby put into his hand of raising himself immediately to so high a degree of Power and Authority in becoming Head of a Party which in all appearance wou'd ruine all the others and give Law universally to France But the Death of his Uncle the Cardinal which happen'd at the same time broke once more the measures of his ambitious design which notwithstanding he never did forsake as being fully resolv'd to put it into execution on the first opportunity which shou'd be offer'd This he cou'd not find till two years afterwards when Don Iohn of Austria pass'd through France to take possession of his government of the Low Countries That Prince who travell'd incognito and had already made a secret correspondence with the Duke of Guise saw him at Ioinville where after some conferences which they had together without other witness than Iohn d' Escovedo Secretary to Don Iohn they made a Treaty of alliance offensive and defensive mutually to assist each other to their utmost Abilities with their Friends their Power and Forces to render themselves absolute the first in his government of the Neatherlands the second in that party which he always hop'd to form in France according to the project of his Uncle under pretence of maintaining the Catholique Religion in France against the Huguenots Though Historians are silent of this Treaty I suppose notwithstanding that it is undoubtedly true considering what Monsieur de Peiresc a name so celebrated by the learned has written concerning it in his memoires which was grounded on what was related to him by Monsieur du Vair who had it from Antonio Perez For that famous Confident of the Amours betwixt Philip the second and the fair Princess of Eboli acknowledg'd freely to President du Vair that to revenge himself of unfortunate Escovedo who at his return to Spain wou'd have ruin'd him in the favour of the King he gave him so well to understand that this Secretary of Don Iohn was intrusted with all his most secret designs against the State and that having discover'd the love of the King his Master he travers'd his amorous intrigue to serve the Prince of Eboli on whom he had dependance that Philip who made not the least scruple to rid himself of any one whom he suspected as having not spar'd even his Son Don Carlos made him be assassinated After which having seiz'd his Papers he there found this private Treaty together with the memoires and instructions containing the whole foundation and all the minutes of this project with the means which the Duke of Guise intended to make use of to make his Enterprise succeed of which that King who made advantage of every thing most dexterously serv'd himself long time after to engage the Duke so deeply in his Interests that he was never able to disentangle himself as the sequel will declare But in the mean time that Peace so advantageous to the Protestants being made in the manner above mention'd the Duke beleiv'd he had now a fair occasion to begin by making use of the discontents of the Catholiques the forming of that League of which he intended aâ—terwards to declare himself the Head How he manag'd that affair is next to be related Amongst the secret Articles of that Peace so favourable to the Huguenots there was one by which the Prince of Conde had granted to him the full possession of the Government of Picardy and besides it for his farther security the important City of Peronne the Garrison of which shou'd be maintain'd at the King's expence The Governour of Peronne at that time was Iaques Lord of Humieres Encre Bray and many other places who by other large possessions of his own and the Governments of Roye and of Montdidier added to Peronne was without dispute the most considerable the wealthiest and most powerfull Lord of all Picardy Besides that being of an illustrious Birth and Son of the Wise and Valiant Iohn d' Humieres who had been Lieutenant of the King in Piemont and Governour to King Henry the Second he was respected lov'd and obey'd in that Province where
to raise him to that high degree of power which seem'd to equal him with the King himself who in effect already look'd on him as his Rival and as such hated him without daring as yet to enterprise ought against him to prevent his designs or to shelter himself against the mischief which he apprehended from him The people united themselves to him as to their Protectour and the pillar of Religion Most of the great men at Court discontented at the Government threw themselves into his party the Ladies from whom the Minions cou'd hold nothing disclos'd to him all the secrets of the Cabinet to revenge themselves of the King whom they hated mortally for certain reasons not so fit to be divulg'd He was offer'd to have the Dukes of Lorrain and Savoy in his interests who both hop'd to draw great advantages from the League and principally so powerfull a Prince as the King of Spain who 〈◊〉 him two hundred thousand Livres of â—ension besides the Sums he wou'd furnish for the levying of his Troops These were indeed strong temptations to a Prince of his humour and who was inclin'd to throw at all But that which gave the last stroke to his determination was the death of Monsieur the King 's onely Brother who after his unsuccessfull Enterprise on Antwerp having been constrain'd to return dishonourably into France dy'd at Chateau de Thierry either of Melancholy or of his old Debauches or as the common report was of poison For about that time it was that believing the King wou'd have no Children and that the King of Navarre might be excluded with ease from the succession for more than one reason which he hop'd to make authentique rather by force of Arms than by the Writings of the Doctours of his Faction and that the Queen Mother who hated her Son-in-Law Navarre had the same inclination to exclude him thereby to advance her Grand-Child the Prince of Lorrain to the Kingdom he rais'd his imagination to higher hopes than what he had formerly conceiv'd when first the Cardinal of Lorrain his Uncle had drawn the platform of a Catholique League whereof he might make himself the Head And on these grounds without farther balancing the matter he resolv'd to take up Arms and to make War against the King But to make so criminal an enterprise more plausible there was yet wanting a pretence which in some sort might justifie his actions to the World And fortune produc'd it for him to as much advantage as he cou'd desire almost at the same time when he had taken up so strange a resolution As it was impossible that so great a Conspiracy shou'd be manag'd with such secrecy that the King shou'd not be advertis'd of it which in effect he was from many hands That Prince who had suffer'd his natural courage to be made effeminate by the laziness of a voluptuous retir'd Life was become exceeding timorous and incapable of coming to any resolution within himself to stifle in its birth so horrible a mischief by some generous action and some Master stroke had a desire to have near him his Brother-in-Law the King of Navarre whom he acknowledg'd according to the Salique Law for the Heir presumptive of the Crown and knew him to be the man who was most capable of breaking all the measures of the Duke of Guise But foreseeing that in order to this it was necessary that he who was Head of the Huguenots shou'd first renounce his Heresie and be reconcil'd to the Catholique Church he dispatch'd the Duke of Espernon to him in Guyenne to perswade him to a thing of so much consequence to the reeâ—tablishment of his fortune and his true interest both Spiritual and Temporal As that Prince had always protested with much sincerity that he was of no obstinate disposition and that he was most ready to embrace the truth when once it were made to appear such to him he receiv'd the Duke with exceeding kindness to whom he gave a private audience in his Closset in presence of the Lord of Roquelaure his Confident of a Minister of his own Religion and of the President Ferrier his Chancellour who had always lean'd to the opinion of the Huguenots of which at last he made profession in his extreme old age and some little time before his death In plain terms that Conference was not manag'd very regularly nor with extraordinary sincerity for Espernon and Roquelaure who were no great Doctours propos'd nothing but humanâ— reasons for his Conversion and alledg'd no stronger arguments than what were drawn from the Crown of France which they preferr'd incomparably beyond the Psalms of Marot the Lords Supper and all the Sermons of the Ministers But on the other side the Minister and the President who were much better vers'd in disputation than the two Courtiers to destroy those weak reasons of secular interest produc'd no motives but what they affirm'd to be altogether spiritual and Soul saving and the word of God which they expounded to their own meaning to which those Noble Lords who understood nothing of those matters had not the least syllable to answer Insomuch that the King of Navarre who piqu'd himself extremely upon the point of generosity looking on it as a most honourable action for him to undervalue so great a Crown at the rate of selling his Conscience and Religion for it the Duke was constrain'd to return as he came without having obtain'd any thing toward the satisfaction of the King But what was yet more displeasing in that affair was that Monsieur du Plessis Mornay a Gentleman of an ancient and illustrious Family a great wit whose Learning was extraordinary for a man of his Quality and who besides made use of his Pen as well as of his Sword but above all a most zealous Protestant put this conference into writing which he also publish'd in which having expos'd what was urg'd on both sides he pretends to manifest the advantage which his Religion had against the Catholique and that the King of Navarre being evidently convinc'd of the weakness of our cause was thereby more than ever confirm'd in his own opinion This was the reason why the Factious and the Catholiques who were heated with a false Zeal began to fly out immoderately against the King whom they charg'd with a thousand horrible calumnies publishing in all places that he kept Correspondence with the King of Navarre to whom he had sent Espernon not with intention of converting him but rather of confirming him in his Errours as it appear'd sufficiently by the proceedings of that conference where nothing was urg'd to the advantage of Religion but on the contrary all things in favour of Huguenotism And it hapning almost at the same time that the King in order to hinder the Huguenots from resuming their Arms against the Leaguers who had provok'd them by committing many outrages against them without punishment thought himself oblig'd to grant them that prolongation which the King
that Roche-Mort being kill'd with a Musquet shot as he was looking through a Casement the Castle had been surrender'd two days since Notwithstanding this Misfortune which the greatest part of his Souldiers wou'd not believe having joyn'd fifteen hundred men whom Clermont d' Amboise a little before the Siege of Broüage was gone to raise for his service in Anjou he took a resolution to attaque the Suburbs But was vigorously repuls'd by the good Troups which the King had sent thither to assist the Citizens who had retrench'd themselves against the Castle which they held besieg'd After which intending to repass the River he found that not onely all the passages were guarded but that also he was ready to be compass'd round by the Troups of the King and of the League who were gathering together from all parts both on this side the Loyre and beyond it to inclose him Insomuch that not being able either to advance or to retreat without being taken or cut in pieces with all his men they were at length forc'd to disband and dividing themselves into small companies of Seven and Eight or Ten and Twelve together every man being willing to save one march'd onely by night through bye passages out of the common Road and through Woods for fear of being met with either by Souldiers or Peasants who kill'd as many of them as they cou'd find and pursued them as they wou'd so many Wolves when they caught them entring into a Sheepfold The Prince himself had much adoe to escape the tenth man and disguis'd into the Lower Normandy from whence he pass'd in a Fisher's Barque betwixt Auranche and St. Malo into the Isle of Guernsey and from thence aboard an English Vessel into England where he was very well receiv'd by Queen Elizabeth who sent him back to Rochelle the Year following with a considerable supply In the mean time St. Mesme who during this unhappy expedition of the Prince continued the Siege of Broüage â—inding himself too weak to resist the Marshal de Matignon who advanc'd by order from the King to force his Retrenchments with an Army of experienc'd Souldiers truss'd up his Baggage and retir'd with what speed he cou'd but in so much fear and disorder that he lost great numbers of his men in his hastyâ— march and particularly in passing the Charante where St. Luc Governour of Broüage who always shew'd himself as brave in War as he was agreeable at Court in Peace having charg'd him in the Reer cut it entirely off Thus the League and the Calvinism lost on that occasion the one the Castle of Anger 's wherein the King plac'd a Governour on whose fidelity he might rely and the other almost all its Forces which after that shock durst no longer keep the Field This furnish'd the King with an opportunity to publish new Ordinances by which he commanded the Goodâ— of Rebels to be seiz'd and particularly of those who had followed the Prince of Conde with promise nevertheless of restoring them when they shou'd return into the Catholique Church and give good security of remaining in it Ordaining farther in execution of the Edict of Iuly that all such shou'd be forc'd to depart the Realm who refus'd to make abjuration of Calvinism into the hands of the Bishops and it was enjoyn'd them to make it according to the Form which was compos'd by William Ruzè Bishop of Anger 's It was thus practis'd because it had been observ'd that the greatest part of the Huguenots had invented a trick neither to lose their Goods nor to leave the Kingdom but thought it was lawfull for them to accommodate themselves to the times and so deceive men by making a false profession of Faith onely for form sake and in external obedience to the Edicts which they express'd by these words Since it has so pleas'd the King with which they never fail'd to preface the Oath of Abjuration when they took it Now this prudent Bishop having observ'd that intolerable abuse which was follow'd by an infinite number of Sacrileges and most horrible profanation of the Sacraments which those false Converts made no scruple to receive betraying by that damnable imposture both the one Religion and the other wou'd admit none into the Communion of the Church who had not first made his profession of Faith according to his form which much resembled that of Pius the Fourth and which from that time forward was and is presented to be sign'd by all those who abjure Heresie 'T is most certain that these Edicts joyn'd with the extreme weakness in which the Huguenot party then was made in a little time many more converts true or false than had been made by the Massacre of St. Bartholomew But also on the other side they occasion'd the Protestants of Germany whom the King of Navarre cou'd never draw to his party against the Leaguers now to incline to his assistance Two years were almost past since that King who desir'd to shelter himself from the Conspiracy which the League had made principally against him with purpose to exclude him from the Crown against the fundamental Law of the Realm had solicited those Princes by the Sieur de Segur Pardaillan and de Clervant to raise an Army for his assistance and elsewhere by the intermission of Geneva he press'd the Protestant Cantons of Swisserland to make a Counter-League with the Germans for the same purpose Queen Elizabeth who besides the interest of her Protestant Religion had a particular esteem and love for that Prince the Duke of Boüillon a declar'd Enemy of the Lorrain Princes and the Count de Montbeliard Frederick de Wirtemburg a most zealous Calvinist used their utmost endeavours with those German Protestants to stir them up all which notwithstanding they were very loath to resolve on a War with the King of France their Allye saying always that they wou'd never engage themselves in it till it was clearly manifest that the War which was made against the Huguenots was not a War of the Government against its Rebels but purely and onely against the Protestant Religion which they intended to extirpate But when they saw before their eyes those Edicts and Ordinances of the King who was absolutely resolv'd not to suâ—â—er any other Religion beside the Catholique in his Kingdom and that otherways they had given them all the security they cou'd desire for the payment of their Army then they took a Resolution of Levying great Forces and of assisting the King of Navarre powerfully after sending a solemn Embassy to the King to demand of him the Revocation of his Edicts and an entire liberty of Conscience for the Protestants The King of Denmark the Electors of Saxony and Brandenburgh the Prince Palatine Iohn Casimir the Dukes of Saxony of Pomerania and of Brunswick the Landgrave of Hesse and Iohn Frederick Administrator of Magdeburg were the Princes who Asâ—ociated themselves with the Towns of Francford Vlmes Nuremberg and Strasburg to send this Embassy
League with greater force opposing the undoubted Right of King Henry the Fourth and we see him in the end surmounting all these difficulties and triumphing over all these dangers God Almighty taking care of his own Anointed and the True Succession Neither the Papist nor Presbyterian Association prevailing at the last in their attempts but both baffl'd and ruin'd and the whole Rebellion ending either in the submission or destruction of the Conspirators 'T is true as my Author has observ'd in the beginning of his History that before the Catholick League or Holy Union which is the Subject of this Book there was a League or Combination of Huguenots against the Government of France which produc'd the Conspiracy of Amboise and the Calvinist Preachers as Mâ—zeray a most impartial Historian informs us gave their opinion that they might take up Arms in their own defence and make way for a free access to the King to present their Remonstrances But it was order'd at the same time that they shou'd seize on the Duke of Guâ—se and the Cardinal of Lorrain his Brother who were then Chief Ministers that they might be brought to Tryal by process before the States but he adds immediately who cou'd answer for them that the Prisoners shou'd not have been kill'd out of hand and that they wou'd not have made themselves Masters of the Queen Mother's Person and of the young King 's which was laid afterwards to their charge The conceal'd Heads of this Conspiracy were Lewis Prince of Condè and the famous Admiral de Coligny who being discontented at Court because their Enemies the Guises had the management of affairs under the Queen Regent to their exclusion and being before turn'd Calvinists made use of that Rebellious Sect and the pretence of Religion to cover their Ambition and Revenge The same Mezeray tells us in one of the next Pages That the name of Huguenots or Fidnos from whence it was corrupted signifies League or Association in the Swisse Language and was brought together with the Sect from Geneva into France But from whencesoever they had their name 't is most certain that pestilent race of people cannot by their principles be good Subjects For whatever inforc'd Obedience they pay to Authority they believe their Class above the King and how they wou'd order him if they had him in their power our Most Gracious Soveraign has sufficiently experienc'd when he was in Scotland As for their boast that they brought him in 't is much as true as that of the Calvinists who pretend as my Author tells you in his Preface That they seated his Grandfather Henry the Fourth upon the Throne For both French and English Presbyterians were fundamentally and practically Rebels and the French have this advantage over ours that they came in to the aid of Hâ—nry the Third at his greatest need or rather were brought over by the King of Navarrâ— their declar'd Head on a prospect of great advantage to their Religion whereas ours never inclin'd to the Kings Restauration till themselves had been trodden underfoot by the Independent Party and till the voice of three Nations call'd aloud for him that is to say when they had no possibility of keeping him any longer out of England But the beginning of Leagues Unions and Associations by those who call'd themselves Gods People for Reformation of Religious Worship and for the redress of pretended Grievances in the State is of a higher rise and is justly to be dated from Luther's time and the private Spirit or the gift of interpreting Scriptures by private Persons without Learning was certainly the Original Cause of such Cabals in the Reform'd Churches So dangerous an instrument of Rebellion is the Holy Scripture in the hands of ignorant and bigoted men The Anabaptists of Germany led up the Dance who had always in their mouths Faith Charity the Fear of God and mortifications of the Flesh Prayers Fastings Meditations contempt of Riches and Honours were their first specious practices From thence they grew up by little and little to a separation from other men who according to their Pharisaical account were less holy than themselves and Decency Civility neatness of Attire good Furniture and Order in their Houses were the brands of carnal-minded men Then they proceeded to nick-name the days of the Weeks and Sunday Monday Tuesday c. as Heathen names must be rejected for the First Second and Third Days distinguishing only by their numbers Thus they began to play as it were at cross purposes with mankind and to do every thing by contraries that they might be esteem'd more godly and more illuminated It had been a wonder considering their fanciful perfections if they had stopp'd here They were now knowing and pure enough to extend their private Reformation to the Church and State for Gods people love always to be dealing as well in Temporals as Spirituals or rather they love to be fingring Spirituals in order to their grasping Temporals Therefore they had the impudence to pretend to Inspiration in the Exposition of Scriptures a trick which since that time has been familiarly us'd by every Sect in its turn to advance their interests Not content with this they assum'd to themselves a more particular intimacy with Gods Holy Spirit as if it guided them even beyond the power of the Scriptures to know more of him than was therein taught For now the Bible began to be a dead Letter of it self and no virtue was attributed to the reading of it but all to the inward man the call of the Holy Ghost and the ingrafting of the Word opening their Understanding to hidden Mysteries by Faith And here the Mountebank way of canting words came first in use as if there were something more in Religion than cou'd be express'd in intelligible terms or Nonsence were the way to Heaven This of necessity must breed divisions amongst them for every mans Inspiration being particular to himself must clash with anothers who set up for the same qualification the Holy Ghost being infallible in all alike though he spoke contradictions in several mouths But they had a way of licking one another whole mistakes were to be forgiven to weak Brethren the failing was excus'd for the right intention he who was more illuminated wou'd allow some light to be in the less and degrees were made in contradictory Propositions But Godfathers and Godmothers by common consent were already set aside together with the observation of Festivals which they said were of Antichristian Institution They began at last to Preach openly that they had no other King but Christ and by consequence Earthly Magistrates were out of doors All the gracious Promises in Scripture they apply'd to themselves as Gods chosen and all the Judgments were the portion of their Enemies These impieties were at first unregarded and afterwards tolerated by their Soveraigns And Luther himself made request to the Duke of Saxony to deal favourably with them as honest-meaning men who were